Dejan Ljubičić: It will be such a special moment

Dejan Ljubičić is no stranger to winning the 2. Bundesliga title. The Austrian previously lifted the trophy with 1. FC Köln last season. After half a season with Dinamo Zagreb, the midfielder joined the Royal Blues at the start of 2026, and has since helped S04 to secure promotion by netting four goals and providing three assists. “I’m happy that I could do my bit to make sure FC Schalke 04 will be back in the Bundesliga next season,” said the January arrival.

2. Bundesliga

Dejan Ljubičić with the ball at his feet.

The 28-year-old would have liked to have added another goal contribution to his total in Nuremberg on Saturday (9/5). Instead, he congratulated the opposition after the final whistle at the Max-Morlock-Stadion. “They deserved to win the game. Nürnberg did a lot of things better than we did. We didn’t manage to play our game how we wanted to on this occasion.”

For Ljubičić, his side’s position prior to the match cushioned the blow of defeat, but he also would have liked to have prevented the loss. “Even though we secured promotion last week, we were still targeting three points in Nuremberg.”

Even though we secured promotion last week, we were still targeting three points in Nuremberg.

Dejan Ljubičić

Another victory – which would have been Schalke’s sixth in a row – would have made the mood at the sold-out stadium even better. “Before kick-off, each and every player was looking forward to the 90 minutes. The atmosphere at the Max-Morlock-Stadion was fantastic,” said Ljubičić, remarking on the friendship between the two sets of fans.

The atmosphere is set to be equally incredible at the VELTINS-Arena on Sunday (17/5), when the Royal Blues host Eintracht Braunschweig on the final day of the season. “We’ll give everything to win the game,” promised the midfielder. After the match, Ljubičić and his teammates will receive the 2. Bundesliga trophy. “It will be such a special moment,” said the Austrian.

Tags

Share page

You may also be interested in

260509-muslic-klose

Miron Muslic: Nürnberg deserved to win

After the clash between the two clubs, in which 1. FC Nürnberg ran out as 3-0 winners, Miron Muslic and FCN head coach Miroslav Klose spoke about the match at the Max-Morlock-Stadion. Timo Becker and Edin Džeko also looked back at the encounter. We’ve gathered the most important quotes below.

2. Bundesliga

260509_fcns04_11

Schalke defeated 3-0 by FC Nürnberg

After winning five games in a row, FC Schalke 04 lost against 1. FC Nürnberg on Saturday (9/5). In front of roughly 20,000 travelling Schalke fans at the sold-out, 50,000-seater Max-Morlock-Stadion, S04 fell to a 3-0 defeat against FCN. It’s the 2. Bundesliga champions’ first defeat since the end of January.

2. Bundesliga

260509-mulder-muslic-1440×810

Youri Mulder: We can only do it together – that’s what Huub Stevens always said

With 67 points currently on the board, FC Schalke 04 have already racked up 29 more than they finished last season with – and there are still two matches left to play. For Youri Mulder, securing both the 2. Bundesliga title and an immediate return to the Bundesliga ahead of the final day is just reward for all the hard work and clear focus shown by everybody at the club over recent weeks and months.

2. Bundesliga

fc-schalke-04-arminia-bielefeld

Kevin Müller: There’s still plenty to play for

Kevin Müller has had an eventful few days. The goalkeeper celebrated promotion and the 2. Bundesliga title with his teammates in Ibiza, describing the mood as “brilliant”. Now, though, his focus is back on football. The 35-year-old will start in goal for Schalke when the Royal Blues face 1. FC Nürnberg on Saturday (9/5) at 20:30 CEST. Müller insists: “I’m ready.”

2. Bundesliga